The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-30
INSURANCE MEN TROUBLED.
Feeling that Many Fires Are Results of
Anarchist Teachings-Remedies Proposed.

NEW YORK, July 29-The Tribune says: "Ae
the Office of firm of well-known insurance
brokers, yesterday, it was said that the past six
months had been the most disastrous in the fire
record Of any like period save, of course in that
embracing the Chicago and Boston fires So far
had been learned, only two companies had
made any money in that six months. The m at
ter has been discussed in every Office and every
association of underwriters.
There is cne striking phase of this matter
which has come to the fore prominently in a few
days, and that is the relation of Herr Most and
his sympathizers to many of those fires. As in
dcative of the extent to which insurance compa-
MES being aroused to this question. it is only
necessary to call attention to a special meeting
of the New York Board of Underwriters held
yesterday, to discuss this very subject and adopt
ways and means to meet the emergency. Herr
Most's book bearing the subject of dynamite
and phosphorus incendiary agents was con
sidered at length especially his claim that many
recent fires due TO their use Copies os news
papers. the book itself, and all available inform
ton upon the point were a week before handed
to the comm ittee police and the origin
of fires, with instructions TO MAKE thorough
investigation of the matter, and report upon
some plan which would check. If possible, the
great increase in the number of fires which were
undoubtedly incendiary. On this point mem
ber of the board said, yesterday:
John Most has become factor in the subject
of fire insurance Our civilization has come to
O pretty pass when such a ed-mouthed, ranting
Anarchists utterances have to be considered
by fire insurance companies. and means devised
tn abate their baDeful effects. There is some
means of reaching this man, and what the law
do viii soon be tried He openly boasts
III his book that recent fires are some of them
at least, due to the Anarchists. Whether true
or not. his utterances have their effect"
On the subject of averting disastrous losses in
fire insurance, remedies have been considered
by fire underwriters from time to time. Yester-
day all phases of the matter were taken up. One
measure proposed is that every person insured
shall, in the of run Of such extraordinary,
and for the CON mpanies exhansting losses, share
in a portion of his own loss Another sugges
ton was that known as the French system. in
which every insured person must pay for injury
done TO contiguous property wnen the hre starts
on his own premises.
This city and vicinity have been the great
sufferers in the recent unprecedented losses.
Said Mr.. Kennedy yesterday: New York has
been the worst sufferer in the last six months,
although Chicago, Milwaukee, and other cities
have done their best to keep up undesirable
rivalry. Just this morning We learn of another
Chicago FIRE; loss, $500. OOD.
Franklin Webster. editor of the Insurance
Chronicle, said of New Yorks share In these re-
cent losses: 'The recent large fires to
have punched themselves in and around New
York, SO that In the past six months the losses
here have been twice what they were for the
whole of the preceding year. making the ratio
four times as large for the same period. If this
rate should be continued long il would, of
course, be disastrous; but that is not to be ex-
pected. and there is reasonable ground for
pauicky feeling This year the extreme West
has been fortunate; last year it was the other
way. The losses seem TO alternate in alternate
years between the East and West
One feature In insurance business which has
been brought TO light in the recent losses is
what are termed Jumbo" lines, and the matter
Is commented on with surprise in insurance
circles. By this it is meant that several COM
panies which had hitherto incurred risk of a
small percentage have been insuring a much
larger per cent, and thus running into the
Jumbo" lines. Among those companes
said to be some well-known companies OF this
city. Brooklyn and Chicago.
The Pacific coast has been peculiarly fortu-
nate the losses for six months not exceeding %
per cent of the average.
On the whole Situation insurance agent
said yesterday: ''If this thing keeps up we are
going to stop, that's all 1t is something like
the hot weather--ws must have a letup or